Lost Tom Waits references aside, the Clog noticed something during our daily “shortcut” through Sather Lane. What used to be Shalimar which used to be Zanzibar which used to be Sufficient Grounds (which used to be…?), is under construction.

Is the current owner remodeling? Will we have a new establishment on our hands? Is the forever under construction Kettle Corn Star expanding?

We don’t have the answers. But when we do, you’ll be the first to know. Let us know your theories in the comments below!

We were drifting into nirvana, into a deep sleep without regards for earthly pleasures, into a — what is this beeping noise that screeches across the air? Why does this sudden conglomeration of sounds interrupt our slumber? That’s right — construction in front of Evans. read more »

Are you tired of looking at the construction mess that is Dwinelle? Do you walk by feeling that its state of perpetual disarray is in some way a metaphor for your college experience?

Unfortunately, there are no real solutions to that problem.

In fact, there will be even more construction around our Berkeley campus. The powers of UC just approved money for a revamp of Memorial Stadium, in addition to the construction of a building called the Helios Energy Research Facility (or HERF, as we hope it will be nicknamed), which will be home to the Energy Biosciences Institute.

Memorial Stadium will stay where it is, but it needs to be retrofitted and renovated. (It is, for lack read more »

The question that has burned its way to the forefront of our minds over the past two months, “when am I going to be able to ride the Campanile again?” finally meets an answer. The awful headgear, originally planned to come down late August, will indeed come off this Sunday. However, you should get your ride on quick like, because construction will soon resume and last through October. Apparently, our beloved phallus was more f*cked up than maintenance managers originally thought.

Workers found that many stones were cracked, weathered, and sugaring. Also, the lantern could not be repaired on site. The scaffolding will reappear at an undisclosed date and stay until mid-October, minus Homecoming weekend, when cranes will retreat so proud alumni can revel in nostalgia beneath the spire, unobstructed. Until then, our brief window of opportunity will last from 10 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m through 4:45 p.m. on Sundays, 11 a.m. through 3:45 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m through 4:45 p.m. on Saturdays.

Image Source: John-Morgan under Creative Commons.Campanile set to reopen, then close again for more repairs this fall [News Center]

Being undergrads and whatnot, we don’t really spend much time hanging around Boalt Hall–Berkeley’s sophisticated older sister school, of sorts–so we were a bit surprised to hear that they’ve recently started construction on a new library/building/addition/thing. They’ve also started a bunch of other projects to generally revamp the expanding school of law.

And, we’ve got to admit, after reading this, we’re a little jealous. Not gonna lie. Some aspects of the new design sound totally boss. For example, “A green roof [will] provide a vibrant open space for students, faculty and staff; detain and clean storm water; and insulate the spaces underneath.” Chicka-whaa? We want a green roof, too, Daddy! Hm. We might just have to start studying for those LSATs … or not.

You mourned the loss of the path between the Campanile and Memorial Glade during the reconstruction of Bancroft Library, you were perplexed by the various Campaign for Berkeley-related projects springing up around Dwinelle and Memorial Glade, you cringed at the recent mutilation of Sather Gate and now, desensitized to the ubiquitous alterations to campus, you may have failed to notice that yes indeed more campus construction is occurring, more highly trafficked pathways are being obstructed by fences, and a few ornamental porta-potties now decorate our campus.

We’re proponents of campus evolution, but at some point we have to ask will it ever end? Or at least, couldn’t they have waited until winter break or summer when we students could avoid the omnipresent fence blockage and hum of distant drilling? More pictures after the jump. read more »

The discerning sunbather will notice that Memorial Glade is no longer as it once was. Picket fences litter the grass. The ground is beginning to bald in some spots and turn to swamp in others. And then the Chancellor went and built hisself a humble domicile on top of it all, replete with crystal chandeliers and lavishly sculpted shrubbery. We’re pretty sure he threw some pretty sick parties in there, ones that none of us were invited to. Sulky face.

That’s all a long and convoluted way of saying that our favorite patch of jumbo lawn is getting rehauled by the university this semester. The restoration’s going to start hogging up space starting now, but the hardcore fences are expected to go up in November. Sound familiar? That’s because the university’s on something of a roll, what with the Sather Gate restoration getting underway this week as well. Bummer – we’re not sure where we’re going to go to chuck frisbees at Fido anymore. Fie on construction!

With the talk of the imminent razing of Warren Hall we figured we should take a look at some of the other perpetual construction on campus. If you’ve been completely ignoring anything north of the Doe Library for the past few weeks (we’re looking at you, Unit-2 denizens) you may not have noticed the removal of some of the scaffolding around the Chang-Lin Tien Center for East Asian Studies.

Now, we here at the Clog know that you hate to make any decision without having our entirely objective, concrete research to back up your opinion, so here you go. Our long nights of deep contemplation (see: drinking) and consultations with head architects (see: our drunk roommates) have given us the perfect tool to help you decide how you should feel about the aesthetic qualities of the Chang-Lin Tien center: the inestimable subjective rating system.

The obvious stand-out of the building is the metal grate that dominates much of the southern wall. It’s bright, it’s oddly patterned, it puts off a hell of a glare any time between 10 and 6 and it’s more than a little gaudy. Now don’t get us wrong, we love shiny things as much as the next guy, but this just seems to be overdoing it slightly.

Aesthetic quality of the Chang-Lin Tien Center: 3 out of 10.Aesthetic quality of the Chang-Lin Tien Center (without the grating): 4 out of 10.

For comparison, it’s not as frustratingly confusing as the Hargrove Music Library. Seriously, it has fish scales. Why does it have fish scales? No one knows. But it does. And they’re ugly.

Aesthetic quality of the Hargrove Music Library: 2 out of 10.

Of course, we don’t think leaving a building to sit like a behemoth, nondescript but for its ominous size, is that good a move either. Just take Evans Hall, a building which can seemingly block out the sun from anywhere on campus.

Aesthetic quality of Evans Hall: 3 out of 10.

And to top it off, we’ll invoke the most notorious site on campus. No, we’re not talking about the UCPD station in Sproul Hall, we’re talking about the atrocious eyesore that is Wurster Hall. Now, we’ve all heard how it’s an extremely efficient building, but let’s face it–it’s horrendous. It’s ugly. It may have made one student gouge out his own eyes (at least that’s what some homeless guy said). We’d post a picture, but it would just feel too cruel.